This application claims the priority of German patent document 199 43 535.9, filed Sep. 11, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to an adjustable fixing element with a setscrew on which a first screw element and a Add second screw element are arranged with locating surfaces which face each other.
Fixing elements often have the task of positioning the parts to be fixed relative to one another. In the present case the aim is to fix an element, such as a headlight, for example, to a plate-type object such as a plate in a motor vehicle body in an adjustable fashion. A generally known fixing element consists of a setscrew which is held on an object to be fixed, where two nuts, supplied with washers as appropriate, are arranged on the setscrew, and the plate is positioned between the nuts. Adjustment of the fixing element is by turning the nut facing the object to be fixed. Fixing in the desired position is secured by tightening of the second nut which faces away from the object to be fixed.
With this state of the art as a basis, an aim of the invention is to create an adjustable fixing device which can be adjusted higher from the side of the plate which faces away from the object to be fixed or from another holder.
This aim is fulfilled in the present invention by providing an adjustable fixing element with a setscrew on which a first screw element and a second screw element are arranged with locating surfaces which face each other wherein the first screw element is provided with a handling aid which projects beyond its locating surface and wherein the second screw element exhibits a corresponding recess adjacent its locating surface for acceptance of the handling aid.
It is proposed according to preferred embodiments that, starting from a fixing element, which is known, consisting of a setscrew on which two screw elements are arranged whose locating surfaces face each other, a handling aid should be arranged on the first screw element, which projects over the locating surface of the screw element. The first screw element preferably faces towards the object to be fixed; the handling aid then is positioned on the side of the screw element facing away from the object to be fixed. The second screw element exhibits a corresponding recess in its locating surface for acceptance of the handling aid of the first screw element. An advantage of a fixing element formed in this way is that it is possible to adjust the fixing element when the side of the fixing element facing toward the object to be fixed is not accessible. As the handling aid provided on the first screw element extends through a fixing opening, the handling aid can be grasped from the side facing away from the object to be fixed and adjustment can be achieved by turning of the first screw element.
The handling aid is preferably in the form of a nut which is connected to a disk-shaped base element which at the same time forms the locating surface. The handling aid can, however, also be in the form of knurling or similar.
The second screw element is formed in such a way that it exhibits a corresponding recess in its locating surface for the reception of the handling aid of the first screw element. This is preferably achieved by means wherein the second screw element consists of a pot-shaped base element with which a nut is connected, preferably in a rotatable fashion. The pot-shaped base element is supported on the outer side of the fixing opening with its edge as locating surface, and the nut is tightened on the setscrew in order to secure the setting of the fixing element. Base element and nut do not have to be connected with each other, however, such connection improves ease of handling. If a rotatable connection is provided between the base element and the nut, relative movement between the base element and the edge fixing opening which can cause mutual damage is prevented. Instead, there is only relative movement between the base element and the nut.
In order to connect the nut with the base element it is proposed to provide an opening in the base element through which a ring-type collar of the nut is pushed. Then this collar is beaded in such a way that altogether a rotatable connection between base element and nut is created which is only effective in the axial direction.